


Picking Up the Pieces

by kiddolane



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Kags is a med student, M/M, Suga is a college professor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-04 21:30:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10290446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiddolane/pseuds/kiddolane
Summary: Kageyama wants to be a surgeon, following in his father's footsteps.  But life seems determined to throw several obstacles in his way.  Obstacles he thought he'd overcome a long time ago.  Can he make it through?  Or will he need the help of an old friend?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [notallballs (notallbees)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notallbees/gifts).



> Hi, so this is my submission for the HQ Rarepair Exchange for 2017. Yeah, it's only the first chapter, and I'm sorry about that, but I'll finish the rest as soon as I can! OTL So, one of the prompts I got was "meeting again in/after college", and this was the first thing that came to mind. I really hope you enjoy it! X'D

Tobio just about stops breathing, gaping slack-jawed at the stern, austere face of the man seated in front of him. “I… I’m sorry?”   
  
The Chief of Surgery at the Tohoku University Hospital, Kanno-sensei, heaves a weary sigh and leans forward on his desk, the filtered light from the blinds behind him casting a dim shadow across his features. “Kageyama-kun, there’s no doubt that you have much potential as a surgeon. Your knowledge of the human anatomy is profound, and you work with a precise efficiency that even some of my attending surgeons don’t possess.” His mouth sets into a firm line. “However, I’ve received many complaints from your fellow interns about your behavior lately.” Placing on a pair of reading glasses, he holds up a sheet of paper. “Ono-san says you snapped at him yesterday while he was performing the suction.”   
  
Tobio cringes at the memory. _"Ono-san, you're taking too long with the suction, damn it! Hurry it up already!"_   
  
“There’s also Kaguya-san, who said you berated her for not giving you the equipment fast enough.”   
  
_“No, the scalpel, I told you to give me the scalpel! Stop being so useless! Just do what I say, and we’ll be fine!”_   
  
Tobio’s hands curl into fists on his lap. He glances up and catches Kanno-sensei’s disappointed frown, echoing the disappointment he feels himself. “Kageyama-kun, the future seems very bright for you. My associates tell me you might even be able to perform at your father’s level one day. But Kageyama-sensei knows how to treat his patients and comrades with the respect they deserve. I’m afraid you don’t. That’s why I’m going to give you an ultimatum. Either you shape up your interpersonal skills by December, or we’re going to have to let you go.”   
  
Tobio’s head snaps up in shock, his throat swelling up with a number of protests and pleas, all sealed up by the fear gripping his lungs. Kanno-sensei’s eyes show no signs of sympathy.   
  
“That should be more than enough time for you to improve. If you have what it takes to make it in this field, then you’ll do it.”   
  


\--

Tobio finds himself in the cafeteria an hour later, picking absentmindedly at the hamburg steak inside his bento box with his chopsticks. His vision hazes over once again as his mind disappears into his thoughts about that conversation. Honestly, he thought he had overcome the hurdle of his abrasiveness back in his days at Karasuno. He became more forgiving of others’ mistakes, had become more forthcoming with his own, and was quick to provide helpful tips and strategies whenever he could, making for a relatively productive three years. He passed his university and medical school studies with no problems, either. But surgery was an entirely different monster. The smallest mistake could mean the difference between a full recovery and a death on the operating table. The pressure from all of his volleyball matches combined couldn’t even come close to the crushing anxiety he faced when stepping into the operating room for the first time. All the patience and tolerance he cultivated over the years had eroded within days of perceived incompetence from his peers. He knows he has to get back the benevolence he lost. If he allows himself to fall back on his old habits, they might become permanently latched onto his psyche, and he wouldn’t be able to find a way out.

A wave of people enters the cafeteria, and Tobio looks up to find that they’re his fellow interns. Tobio watches as his peers make eye contact with him, then immediately avert their gaze before buying their lunches and sitting at a table as a group, on the side of the cafeteria completely opposite where he’s sitting. The rows of empty tables and chairs between them almost seem to create a barrier, as though he’s on an island separated from the mainland by an endless gulf. He can’t allow this to continue any longer. He has to improve, he just has to.

Suddenly, a bottle of cold green tea enters his line of vision. “Are you okay, Tobio?”

The tension loosens from Tobio’s shoulders the moment his father sits down at the table, across from him, blocking his view of the other interns. Tobio has the feeling he did that on purpose, and truthfully, he’s grateful for that as he takes the proffered bottle from his father’s trembling hands. “I’m alright, thank you.”

His father quirks an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You haven’t touched the hamburg steak your sister made for you, and that’s your favorite.”

“Ah.” Tobio looks down at the slab of meat in question, riddled with holes and without a single bite.

His father sighs. “Tobio, what’s wrong? I know you had a talk with Kanno-sensei earlier today. Did he say something to you?”

Tobio fidgets in his seat before averting his gaze. “He told me I need to improve my interpersonal skills by the end of December or I’m going to lose my internship.”

His father frowns. “December? But it’s almost the end of September. That’s nowhere near enough time!”

“I need to do this, Father. I’ve been having trouble with this for years. It’s my burden to bear.”

“But that’s still not enough time to overcome those weaknesses. The first time you did it in high school took you almost a year. Kanno-sensei was always too strict for his own good. I’ll have a talk with him tomorrow. Maybe I can get him to extend it at least. I want you to grow, Tobio, I do, but you’re my son. I will do whatever it takes to protect you and make sure you’re safe.”

Tobio stares awestruck at his father, whose aura has always acted as a balm to soothe Tobio’s frayed psyche. The wrinkles are starting to crease his face, and his hair is starting to gray from the sides, but this is still the man who always looked after his son with kind eyes and a supportive talk when times were rough. Ever since his mother died when he was eight, he doesn’t think anyone else could ever make him feel as safe as his father has over the years. The more Tobio thinks about it, the more he feels that following in his father’s footsteps was the right decision after all. He lets out a much-needed breath of relief and allows his mouth to curve into a smile. As long as he has his father by his side, maybe things could all work out.

\--

The tumbler is warm in Tobio’s hands as he takes a leisurely sip of coffee on his way to the hospital the following morning. His father had taken off three hours earlier, so maybe he’s had time to talk to Kanno-sensei. Whatever the case, he’s resolved to get along with his coworkers better, so he’s prepared to get this day started.

He finishes his coffee as he loads his backpack inside one of the hospital lockers. The moment he steps out of the locker room, however, a nurse approaches him. Tobio recognizes her as Azawa-san, one of the nurses who works with his father the most frequently. When he sees the look of concern in her eyes, his heart seizes with dread.

“Good morning, Azawa-san,” he begins tentatively. “Is something the matter?”

“Kageyama-kun… your father’s had a heart attack.”

\--

Tobio barges into the hospital room, sucking in quick, panicked breaths as he spots his father laying in bed. As soon as he lays eyes on his son, his father smiles and lifts up a trembling hand in his direction. Tobio swiftly crosses the room and wraps his father’s hand with both of his own.

His father’s eyes soften. “Tobio, don’t give me that face.”

“What happened?” Tobio asks, his voice quivering.

“Now, don’t panic, Tobio. There were plenty of doctors nearby to tend to me. I never stopped breathing for a moment. I’ll be fine before you know it. So, don’t worry about me,” his father reassures him, even as Tobio’s chest tightens at his weak voice. “Just be there for Akane, okay? Keep working hard, Tobio. I know you can do it. Now go. I’m sure there are patients who need you right now.”

Tobio doesn’t trust his voice at that moment, so he just nods and, after one final squeeze of his father’s hand, leaves the room. He runs into Kanno-sensei just outside the entrance.

“His heart attack was actually pretty severe. If he hadn’t been here at the hospital to receive immediate care, he would’ve most certainly died,” he informs bluntly, which does nothing to alleviate Tobio’s anxiety. “He’s going to need a few days of bedrest, maybe a week before he starts walking. We’re probably looking at maybe four to six weeks for him to fully recover, but he’s probably going to be on beta blockers for the rest of his life. I’m truly sorry for what happened, but unfortunately, the hospital doesn’t take a break for anyone’s problems, and now you need to improve more than ever. My ultimatum still stands. December or nothing.”

With that, he gives a curt bow and disappears down the hall. A whole torrent of negative emotions roils around inside of Tobio: anger, frustration, grief, fear. But they all pale in comparison to the suffocating helplessness that only comes from being forcibly untethered from the ground that kept him anchored. Now, he has to be the one to care for his family. He has to be the sole breadwinner, which, ordinarily, he wouldn’t mind, except he has only three months to save his job, otherwise, his family is in jeopardy.

And now, he has no one. No one to look after him. No one to tell him it’ll be okay. No one to make him feel safe.

\--

“Ow! Hey, Kageyama, watch where you’re spiking that thing! You almost smacked me in the face!” Hinata whines as he rubs the reddened forearm that collided with the volleyball. “Ugh, why are you in such a bad mood today? You’re the one who asked me to come here in the first place.”

Tobio clicks his tongue, watching Hinata retrieve the ball. The rest of that day had been a complete disaster; his mind had been so preoccupied with the situation that he had flat-out ignored his coworkers and walked out on them without a word the minute he finished all of his tasks. Now, he’s at the local gym in Sendai where Hinata attends college at Tohoku University, playing a one-on-one set with his high school teammate, desperate for at least some sense of normalcy. Although, judging by the increasing number of bruises he’s leaving on Hinata’s arms, it’s not going too well.

“So, what’s going on? Surgery life not working out?”

Tobio grits his teeth in annoyance, though it’s more because of how accurate Hinata’s guess actually is. Is he that easy to read?

“It is, isn’t it? Ha, you’re so easy to read!”

Damn that dumbass…

Well, if he’s going to regain his interpersonal skills, he might as well start with one of the people who set him on the right path to begin with. Tobio takes a deep breath and unloads everything that’s happened to him over the last couple of days. By the time he’s done, Hinata stares at him, wide-eyed and speechless for once in his life.

“Wow,” he says finally, “that really sucks.”

“Yeah,” is all Tobio can say in response.

“Is your dad gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. It’ll take a few weeks for him to recover, but he’ll be fine.”

“And about that Kanno jerk—”

“Kanno-sensei,” Tobio corrects, though he can’t deny a tiny part of his brain wants to call him that too.

“Yeah, him. I don’t know if I can help you out with him. Since we’re both at different schools in separate sides of the region, I don’t see you as often as I used to.”

Tobio sighs. Yeah, he had figured as much. They have their own lives to live, and the last thing he wants to be is a burden on somebody else’s. “That’s fine. Thanks for listening.”

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Hinata pipes up, startling Tobio. He reaches over for his bag, digs inside, and shows Tobio a lone sheet of paper featuring a very familiar face.

“Look, it’s Sugawara-san!” Hinata chirps. “He’s giving a lecture at my school on Thursday night. If you can make it, maybe you can come with me and tell him about your situation.”

“What makes you think he’ll even remember me?” Tobio argues. “It’s been years since we saw each other. Why do you think he would still even care about me? Besides, he must also have a busy life, if he’s giving guest lectures at other universities.”

“It’s worth a shot,” Hinata counters. “He was one of the people who really brought you out of your King of the Court phase in high school. What would it hurt?”

Tobio falls silent, acknowledging Hinata’s point. Sugawara had made a profound impact in the way he related to others. And he made it look so easy too, with his genuine words of encouragement, his gentle demeanor, and his effortless smile. In fact, after taking a closer look at the flyer, Tobio sees that Sugawara hasn’t changed all that much appearance-wise. Same youthful features, same friendly smile. Maybe it really wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“Maybe you could write him a poem,” Hinata comments, breaking Tobio’s line of thought. He looks up to see a sly smirk on Hinata’s face that makes him wonder if he knows something Tobio doesn’t. That pisses him off, so he just settles for grabbing Hinata’s hair.

\--

Tobio stands at the entrance of the Tohoku University auditorium, eyes darting around for any sign of orange hair. The crowd gathering up at this auditorium is larger than he had anticipated, and he doesn’t know anybody. He would at least like to locate Hinata before he gets swept up by himself. He takes out the flyer from his back pocket, folded into a neat square. Hinata said he could keep it so he could remember the time and location of the event, “as well as other things,” whatever the hell that meant. He straightens out the flyer and studies it for the tenth time since he first laid eyes on it.

“The Path to National Self-Actualization: How the Performances of Rakugo in the Shouwa Era Healed a Hurting Nation”

Tobio blinks at the title of Sugawara’s lecture, amazed at the amount of research and dedication this must have taken. He wonders what it was about rakugo or the Shouwa era that interested Sugawara so much, and why he’s so inordinately focused on healing, of all things. As a matter of fact, there are so many things he wants to ask Sugawara—more than just about his situation—that he thinks there might not be enough time to cover everything.

“Yeesh, just don’t stare at him like you’re staring at that flyer.”

With a jolt, Tobio wheels around to find Hinata standing on his tiptoes, looming over his shoulder. He doesn’t know why he feels the need to hide the flyer from Hinata when it was Hinata’s to begin with, but he does so anyway.

“Took you long enough, dumbass,” he growls.

Hinata groans. “Oh, come on, we’re still, like, ten minutes early! How long have you been here?”

For some odd reason, Tobio feels his face flaring up. He wants to tell Hinata he’s been here for over half an hour, but he can’t muster the words. He can’t fathom the reason, though; he’s been early for events before, so why is this so different?

He must have taken too long in answering, because Hinata just rolls his eyes. “Ugh, whatever. Come on, let’s go inside before they take all the good seats.”

Tobio and Hinata manage to locate a pair of seats towards the back, slightly away from the center. They make idle chatter while the rest of the audience settles into place. Once the Master of Ceremonies steps up to the podium, everyone goes quiet.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our guest tonight, Sugawara Koushi, has had quite the eventful life at such a young age. In high school, he was a part of the Karasuno volleyball team that reached Nationals for the first time in years. Afterwards, he spent his college years earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in History at Tokyo University, traveling all over Japan and to places like London, Belize, and Taiwan, engaging in several conferences and winning top prizes such as…”

Tobio’s eyes widen as the MC continues to list off Sugawara’s accomplishments. With all the phenomenal things he’s done and amazing people he’s met, there’s no way Sugawara could ever remember someone like him. He was delusional to even entertain the idea.

“So, everyone please welcome… Sugawara Koushi.”

The entire auditorium fills with fervent applause as Sugawara finally makes his way onstage, replacing the MC at the podium.

“Heh, wow, such glowing praise,” Sugawara chuckles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just hope I don’t disappoint you guys.”

A wave of laughter resonates throughout the audience, including Hinata. Somehow, that fills Tobio with so much warmth.

“Alright, so my presentation to you guys today is about the impact rakugo made during the Shouwa era, particularly during the 1940s, when the nation was war-torn and hurting the most,” he begins as the screen flickers to life behind him. The passion in his words, the vigor in his gestures, the glint of legitimate joy in his eyes all combine to create a heady, alluring force of nature that ensnares Tobio within seconds. Even though the slideshow on the screen had the most vibrant, colorful pictures and entertaining videos, Tobio couldn’t look away from Sugawara for a minute. From the chuckles and gasps surrounding him, he could tell that the rest of the audience is under the same spell.

“Well, that about does it for this presentation. Thank you guys for putting up with me for an hour.”

Tobio does a double take. That was an _hour?!_ One look at his watch confirms it. After a brief question-and-answer session, students finally start to file out of the auditorium, with a few students forming a single line at the front of the room. Sugawara takes a seat on the edge of the stage, immediately engaging in conversation with the first couple of students at the head of the line. Tobio lets out a long breath; that had been such an experience. He was never particularly interested in history (except volleyball history), but Sugawara could make just about anything interesting for him.

Hinata reaches down and grabs Tobio’s wrist. “Come on, let’s go talk to him.”

A sudden bout of nerves hits Tobio, and he digs in his heels. “No.”

“Eh? Why not? I saw the way you were looking at him. You totally wanna talk to him, don’t even lie.”

Tobio growls at Hinata’s perceptiveness. Yet he’s feeling oddly defensive about it, like Hinata just walked in on something private. “I said _no!_ ” he grits out.

“You want him to help you, don’t you? Then, come on!” Hinata says with finality before yanking him over to the line. Hinata could be surprisingly strong when he wants to be. Now that they’re in line, it would be in bad form to leave now, so Tobio waits reluctantly for their turn.

“You excited?” Hinata asks.

“Don’t talk to me.”

“Aww, you’re so excited.”

Finally, the last student in front of them moves away before they’re face-to-face with Sugawara himself. Tobio sucks in a breath. Sugawara really hasn’t changed at all, only his youthful face has been slightly sharpened with years of experience and wisdom, and his eyes softened by an even greater sense of compassion. Eyes that widen the moment Sugawara sees him.

“Oh my God, Kageyama?”

Tobio goes mute with shock. Sugawara actually remembers him?

“Sugawara-san!” Hinata chirps, jumping up and down like a toddler.

“And Hinata too! Wow, how’ve you guys been? It’s been ages!” Sugawara hops down from the stage, enveloping first Hinata, then Tobio in a light embrace.

 _He’s warm_ , Tobio thinks, before ruthlessly quashing that inappropriate thought.

“I’m good!” Hinata begins. “I’m here on a volleyball scholarship! Studying psychology!”

Sugawara laughs. “Wow, that’s awesome! I knew you’d get something for volleyball, you deserve it!” He then turns to Tobio, his eyes softening. “What about you, Kageyama?”

“Tohoku Medical University,” he fumbles out.

Sugawara’s jaw drops. “Medical? That’s amazing, Kageyama!”

Tobio feels his face heat up at the genuine, unbridled awe in Sugawara’s eyes, as though he were the one who traveled the world. Suddenly, he feels a sharp jab in his ribs.

“Ask him,” Hinata hisses in his ear, and all at once, this otherworldly experience evaporates the moment he’s reminded of his peers, his strict supervisor, his struggling job, his ailing father.

“Ask me what?” Sugawara asks, his head tilting.

No. Tobio has no business unloading his problems onto someone as accomplished as Sugawara. He’s living such a pure, storied life, reaching self-actualization himself; he doesn’t deserve to be dragged down into the same despair Tobio is experiencing. It’s cruel.

“Kageyama needs help with his job,” Hinata responds in his place. “His boss is a jerk, and he needs to improve relations with his peers by December, or else he’s expelled.”

Damn it, Hinata! Damn him for sticking his dumbass nose where it doesn’t belong! Damn Kanno-sensei for making such unreasonable demands! And most of all, damn himself for letting it get to this point. For being so pathetic to ruin his own life and potentially ruin so many others’ in the process.

“Okay.”

Tobio jerks his head up, gawking at Sugawara smiling good naturedly at him.

“Really?” he whispers. He doesn’t dare hope.

“Of course! You’re in luck, actually. I’m transferring over here to Tohoku next week! So yeah, I can definitely help!”

“Awesome!” Hinata shouts, pumping his fists into the air. Tobio lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. In fact, for the first time in these past two days, he feels like he can actually breathe again.

Sugawara takes a business card from the top of a stack and writes on the back, handing it to Tobio when he’s done. “That’s my personal cell number. Feel free to call me whenever you need, okay? It was great seeing you guys again. Have a great night!”

“Yeah. Yeah, you too,” Tobio replies, turning the card over and over in his hands as Sugawara sends them off with a jovial wave.

“Woo, you got his number,” Hinata teases once they’re outside. “You happy?”

“I am,” Tobio answers, his mind still in a daze from what just happened.

“Everything will work out for you, Kageyama,” Hinata reassures him. “You’ll see.”

As Tobio stares down at the digits that may very well change his life, yeah, he just might start believing that too.


End file.
